BREAKING NEWS

BREAKING NEWS

An uncommon celebration of the common loon Sunday

PAUL SMITHS – Biodiversity Research Institute’s Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation and the Paul Smith’s College VIC are teaming up to present a celebration of one of the Adirondacks’ most iconic birds – the common loon.

This unique event is free and will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday at the VIC on state Route 30 in Paul Smiths.

The day will include “loony” activities for the whole family, including the following:

-A loon calling contest

-Merriloons the Clown to entertain the kids with face-painting, balloons, etc.

-A concert by Jamie Savage, an Adirondack singer-songwriter

-A field trip to observe loon behavior first-hand

-A scavenger hunt

-A loon quilt raffle and silent auction

-A presentation and display about loon natural history and conservation.

The results of the ongoing raffle for the queen-sized loon quilt will be also announced at a reception in the late afternoon. Raffle tickets for the handmade quilt ($5 each or six for $25) can be downloaded at www.briloon.org/adkloon.

Additionally, the Adirondack Interpretive Center of Newcomb will have little rubber loons on hand for purchase. Loon-related food will also be available throughout the day.

“The day will be an exciting opportunity to learn about loon natural history, threats affecting their populations and ongoing loon research and conservation efforts in the Adirondack Park,” Dr. Nina Schoch, coordinator of BRI’s Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation, said in a press release. “We are thrilled to have John Ozard and Ben Tabor from (the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation) judge the loon calling contest – they are both very experienced in trying to catch our study loons, so I’m sure there will be tight competition to determine the best yodels, tremolos and wails!”

BRI’s Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation is dedicated to improving the overall health of the environment, especially air and water quality, through collaborative research and outreach focusing on the natural history of the common loon and conservation issues affecting loon populations and their aquatic habitats.

BRI and its collaborators have conducted research on the Adirondack loon population since 1998 to evaluate the impact of mercury pollution on aquatic ecosystems and to learn more about loon migration and the health of Adirondack loons. BRI’s Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation also conducts educational programs such as the Science on the Fly! school curriculum to increase public understanding about conservation concerns affecting the Adirondack loon population and the aquatic ecosystem where the birds live.